the problem(s) with drive-throughs, and a solution
 

Was reading this post at Autoblog Green, part of which the writer laments about idling cars in the drive-through lane at his post office...

https://www.autobloggreen.com/2006/08...ponsibilities/

And it reminded me of a fight brewing in Ottawa between local government and coffee & donut giant, Tim Horton's, over the councillors desire to prohibit drive-through businesses on certain streets (which isn't just about the pollution from idling issue)...


And I had a simple thought (most of mine are...)

If I were in charge of a company whose business model included a significant amount of revenue from drive-through traffic, I'd look into having all our future drive-through lanes built on a slight grade, so that my customers had the option of switching off their vehicles after placing their order, and coasting to the pick-up window, rather than idling the whole time (or starting/stopping the engine multiple times).

What a PR coup that could be.

Slides Burgers and Fries :)

Ah, the Drive-Thru
 

Drive-Thru's absolutely kill the gas mileage in a tank, I agree. I quit using them in my personal vehicles 90% of the time now (when testing cars for review, I go through them to simulate 'actual' driving).

Whilst getting one's doughnut, would the average Joe turn his car off? I get wierd looks for just coasting in my neighborhood. There would be law suits "I had no brakes, I couldn't steer!" The general public needs re-aligned.

Here's what happens that I like to observe :rolleyes:

I remember which vehicle was in the drive line as I go into the establishment. I get the product quicker most of the time and then walk in front of the "target" car (which maybe moved 2 car-lengths) as I walk to my Zero-Emissions parked car. Just by picking my butt up and walking, I usually save 2-3 minutes a day and hundreds of pounds of CO2 a year.

RH77

Not to mention you burn 20 extra calories you otherwise wouldn't have, which slightly offsets the calories you're just about to ingest. :)

...I'm having a Ruby Goldberg vision of some heavy car'd customer losing vacuum, thinking brakes have failed, freaking out, crashing into the car in front, spilling scalding hot coffee in a lap, blah, blah... :D

Oh wait, you live in Canada. ;)

Nevermind.

I wasn't going to say it. :)

I have thought about the same thing. Coasting thru a drive thru would be great, but it might be a bit too hardcore for the average american.

There are times when I have kids in the back, there is no playground, and I don't want to go through the hassle of disentangling them from their car seats, etc. and so I end up languishing in the drive-thru purgatory. :/

Hybrids like the Prius have a clear advantage here in that they can operate in EV-only mode.

New opportunity for squeegee kids: "drive-through pusher kids".

Also, it doesn't even have to be publicized, and the business doesn't open itself to the inevitable lawsuits. That way only the smart & observant folks (such as ourselves) would recognize the FE / emissions reduction opportunity and seize it.

I'm for the drive-through ban.

So many of us Americans are obese, in large part due to our sedentary lifestyle, of which driving is a huge part. Waiting in a drive-through for a cholesterol and fat laden burger and fries exacerbates the obesity problem.

Make the fatties waddle to the counter. It may be the only exercise they get all day.

Car Wash
 

Here ya go, how about one of those car wash tracks? Pop into N, shut 'r down and get jerked along by an electric motor :p

How about a mandatory tax for using the DT as a function to reduce usage, and use the money to research/promote fuel efficiency? Some states have different tax structures for eating-in at a fast food place versus using the drive-thru (but it's usually tax inside, only drinks taxed in the drive -- reversed structure). Yeah, that'll happen :(

RH77